Mumbai: The Mumbai crime branch arrested two persons, including a minor, for stabbing to death a 22-year-old in an attempted robbery at Kurla.

The officials of unit five crime branch said that the accused would take off on their two-wheeler, travelling to various areas in the suburbs and look for targets. The said accused had similar cases and were wanted by the Govandi police in another robbery case.

The accused were identified as Mohamed Sadiq Shaikh (18) and his 13-year-old accomplice, who were apprehended by a team led by Ashok Khot and others. They had stabbed to death Ramashankar Yadav (22), a native of Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh.

The investigators said that the duo had left their residence at 3am and travelled on their two-wheeler to Chembur Naka, Mahim and other areas looking for a target.

“The duo spotted Yadav near Ekta Society carrying a handbag. The accused assumed that there were wads of currency notes in it and approached him. When they tried to snatch the bag and Yadav resisted, one of them stabbed him in the abdomen near Ekta Housing Society,” said Dilip Sawant, deputy commissioner of police (crime branch).

Locals spotted Yadav in a pool of blood and informed the police control room. The victim was rushed to the hospital however he was declared dead on arrival, the police said.

The officials scanned the CCTV footage of the area and with the help of informers, tracked down the duo to a slum near Chembur. The duo was arrested Friday. Shaikh is a 9th Class pass and the juvenile is a vagabond, the officers said.

Upon their interrogation, the unit five officers learned that the accused, after stabbing Yadav, had snatched a mobile phone in the Bandra Kurla Complex before heading home. The motorcycle used in both crimes belonged to one of their friends who had been informed about the incidents.

“Yadav had come to Mumbai on February 26 to meet his ailing mother and brother. He was set to return on March 18. He had left early to get a train ticket and picked up sweets before meeting his uncle. His carry bag contained a box of sweets which the accused thought were wads of cash,” added Sawant.